Synopsis
Day 1: The watch stormed the town seemingly well informed to root out arcane activity within the Afflicted area led by Warden Lovelace. The operation was in response to a murder of a noblewoman in the Market Square of Frostmoor. The operation resulted in a young adolescent arcane-sensitive girl by the name of Sara being executed. Stelmaria suspicious of an apparent stranger in town stalks Adorena to her alchemical lab beneath the Inn. The day ends with Stelmaria and Nevin Bokurai attempting to raid the lab and Aeryn getting wind of this going to Adorena's aid. A shadowy figure is seen bounding through the city at night in the distance Day 2: Nevin and Stelmaria are turned away by the innkeeper and her sister. Cullen and Nevin begin to argue after which a clearly agitated Cullen Bokurai retaliates and burns down the Inn at the protest of Nevin Bokura. Adorena and Aeryn are approached by Arthur Vendrix of the mage resistance. He informs them that the murdered noblewoman was a justicar and that the circumstances around her attack indicate that this was not a random attack by a maddened afflicted as some would believe. The justicars are a military arm of the Inquisition, a group that's tasked with the apprehension and prevention of the resurgence of arcane arts in Frostmoor. The Inquisition is a group within the City Watch that reports to Lord Carrington directly and is semi autonomous from the Watch. He tasks the two with looking into the murder. Mayor Callynx (not a formal mayor but rather de-facto leader of the afflicted within Frostmoor) calls a town hall to discuss the escalating events. Sara's father angry with Cullen Bokurai at reporting his daughter's "gift" to the watch attacks Cullen forcing Cullen to spring his ambush on Mayor Callynx prematurely. Nevin rushes to his brother's aid but is attacked by the party. Zheldara attacks mayor Callynx but the most astonishing is Adorena's use of electrical magic to slay townsfolk and Bokurai sympathizers alike. The Watch under the authority of Warden Lovelace responds to the chaos at the town hall by arresting all those still standing near the hall. Day 3: Riots ensue, a mob forms wanting to burn the afflicted area to the ground. The townsfolk are afraid that madness has taken over the Afflicted District. Warden Lovelace arrests Zheldara and Adorena. Zheldara is arrested for attacking the mayor while Adorena is arrested for her use of arcane powers. Zheldara and Adorena are taken to a cell within the City Watch Keep. Adorena is tortured by Inquisitor Pricklefingers and questioned about her knowledge of Arthur Vendrix. Meanwhile, Inquisitor James Escala and Justicar Lucas Tirelde commandeer a detachment of City Watch guards and the investigation of use of forbidden magics in the Afflicted District. James Escala informs Warden Lovelace that his sloppy handling of keeping the peace in the Afflicted District has resulted in him being removed for that detail of his service. Warden Lovelace returns to the keep and conscripts Zheldara as his agent within Tirelde's service possibly mistrustful of the Inquisitions aims in handling this affair. A trial ensues for Adorena's suspected magic use and attack of the townsfolk within Frostmoor. Aeryn is able to warn Arthur Vendrix of the inquisition's interest, knowledge of the tunnels and attempted bargaining for the life of Adorena. At the trial Mayor Callynx, Zheldara and Kennel Master all speak out against Adorena. An attempted gambit at distracting the court through her transformation fails when it is revealed to the Inquisition that Adorena is a changleling and thus a magical creature. The trial ends with a guilty verdict being rendered and Adorena and Aeryn (who perjured herself before the court) being conscripted into the Inquisition serivice for their puported knowledge of the tunnels and the resistance leader Arthur Vendrix Day 4: Aeryn and Adorena were confronted by Justicar Tirelde over the alchemist frost potion Adorena was concealing. Stelmaria lost sight of Val and Daiga following the trial, the two of them spotted Lovelace and attempted to follow him. When their tail was discovered Lovelace brought them to Zheldara's store to persuade them to join Tirelde on his journey into the Tunnels. Lovelace earlier that evening had approached Stelmari and Momotaro about continuing their investigation into the Bokurai insurgency, discretion was advised. Momataro was surprised by a large white wolf (pet of Cullen Bokurai) while attempting to break into the Bokurai residence. This was much to the amusement of the guards who took the opportunity to mock the apparently drunk gnome. Inside Stelmaria and Momotaro found the house had been rigged with a web of sinister traps that impeded their progress significantly. In the Tunnels Tirelde and the party with the addition of the two prisoners Aeryn and Adorena made their way to Vendrix's hideout. When they arrived their they founds Melina and Caraam had been slain apparently by some beast. Tirelde in a sudden act of mercy freed Adorena and Aeryn stating that he didn't want to be their executioner. Zheldara happened upon a book that left her transfixed. In the main hall the group came head to head with the beast; it was a creature of shadow and mist, that shunned radiance. The beast had laid in wait for them. Adorena spotted a secret exit deeper into the tunnels and in a moment when the creature was drawing strength for a second attack managed to aid the party in escaping. Daiga crushed the tunnel behind him as Val lead the party to safety in the crypts, safety for now... They were now within the crypts that the wealthy families had used to bury their dead in ages past. A dark necrotic mist permeated through the crypts a hint at something more sinister beneath Frostmoor. Adorena managed to find a secret entrance into an old recess that had been used once as a hideout from the Town above. To their surprise Vendrix with a very ill Silena had also escaped to this place as well. Tirlelde confronted Vendrix an attempted to arrest him however was stopped by Aeryn and Adorena. Vendrix's message also contributed to Tirelde's sudden pause. Vendrix confirmed Tirelde's darkest fears, that something (not afflicted) had been hunting Justicars. What the party did not perhaps know was that Tirelde had been fighting a lingering tenacious thought since Justicar Ornelia's attack, that perhaps what he had been hearing was true; that there was a beast creeping through the shadows that had been systematically killing the justicars, and perhaps that beast was something darker and more cunning than a doomed mindless afflicted. Day 5: Stelmaria and Momotoro continued their investigation of the trap laiden Bokurai compound. In a secret room Stelmaria found a stockpile of crates bearing the warehouse master Jenis’ symbol . She noted that the crates found here would be insufficient to cover all of the missing wares. A further investigation of the property revealed a will with an attached note that had been intended for Cullen’s brother Nevin Bokurai. The note informed Nevin that in the event of his untimely death, Nevin should suspect that a “transformed” Warehouse Master Jenis” and similarly transformed mayor Callynx may have been responsible. Stelmaria reported back to Lovelace everything she had discovered, including the note which seemed like it could be the ravings of a madman Meanwhile in a Zhentarim hideout beneath the city of Frostmoor Tirelde and Vendrix discussed events that transpired before the Assassination. Justicar Ornelia had been assigned to investigate the disappearance of Lord Carrington’s daughter. However, she found most of her channels of investigation impeded by the Inquisition. Frustrated she pursued another channel of inquiry through Vendrix. Fortunately, or unfortunately for her, Vendrix was able to arrange a meeting. All that’s known at that point is that Ornelia never made it to the meeting. A search of her home (currently under guard by Inquisition troops) revealed more. Additional notes were inscribed in a journal of investigation. Amelie was suspicious that someone or something may interfere with the meeting so she encoded a phrase that was to be the keyphrase for their meeting. “Who has the best tailored goods in Frostmoor” was the question, “Zheldara’s that’s who, and her prices are reasonable,” was to be the response. Adorena and the party mesmerized by some alchemical apparati didn’t notice Amelie’s doppleganger enter the home. She alerted them of another intruder and suggested that they all go to Escala to explain. When their backs were turned she assassinated Tirelde, and vanished into the shadow. Val’ was able to save Tirelde and they all escaped to the crypts, an injured Tirelde in tow. Day 6: Following the leads discovered at the Bokurai compound, Lovelace accompanied Stelmaria and Momotaro on the investigation of the Jenis Warehouse. What they uncovered sent Lovelace reeling in horror. They overheard a discussion between Two Figures that had taken the guise of the mayor Marcus Callynx and Warehoustmaster Jenis. Jenis referred to Marcus by the name Demetrius revealing to him that he (Jenis) had failed in killing Tirelde and that Amelie Carrington was still “unnacounted for” but that likely she would return to Carrington keep. Marcus implied that Lord Carrington, Amelie’s father was no longer alive. Considering they had pushed Frostmoor too hard they determine that the only way to clean up their mess was to unleash the afflicted upon the city. They also indicated that another had taken Grand Inquisitor Latrec’s form and that he would not approve of the plan. Lovelace seeking to verify for himself that Marcus Callynx had been compromised returned to the Town Hall with Stelmaria and Momotaro only to find Marcus’ body deceased for some time in a panic room of sorts. They immediately set to rejoin with Tirelde’s expedition into the tunnels and inform him of what they saw. They rejoined to find Tirelde and Vendrix injured. The healer Val’ was able to help both of them. However during a heated exchange between Aeryn and Zheldara, Zheldara attacked Aeryn with shadow magic and they all sealed her in a back room in the old Zhentarim Hideaway. During that time Zheldara managed to slip away. Vendrix informed them that Cormius of Cormius’ curiosities owed them a favor and would house them at least for an evening. Cormius did not like the idea but begrudgingly agreed. Through some erratic magical error likely influenced by a piece of the weave that Cormius had tucked away, Adorena managed to accidentally destroy the windmill and piece of Cormius’ roof. She was however also able to ascertain that a dark cloud had descended over the old temple on the hill. The commotion attracted The Beast, however this time the beast wouldn’t be so lucky.. Day 7: Lovelace and Val’ kept first watch that night. Lovelace sent Momotaro with Vendrix, Tirelde and Selena to a hideaway in the middle of the night, Momotaro was to escort them safely. In the early hours of the morning the group set out through the crypts to Carrington Keep to attempt to save Amelie from what could potentially be a trap should she return to the Keep. The group was able to make it to the Keep via some tunnels in the basement only to find that someone had dispatched the guards there. To make matters worse the guards there had been under Lovelace’s command (but dead for some time). Sneaking past another detachment of gaurds in the main hall the group happened upon Lord Carrington’s study. In it they found a title and a family genealogy. The title laid claim to Frostmoor and a large swath of tunnels deep beneath the city. The genealogy revealed something more surprising; Lord Carrington had also had a son Wallace that he had hidden away in the Keep for some reason. Within the keep the group had found that the castle’s attendants had been slaughtered and burned. The former guardsmen were killed, and their corpses were dragged to piles in the battlements. Further within the Keep the group happened upon Wallace’s room. It appeared to be an average noble-boy’s room though not have been inhabited for some time, In it were disturbing drawn images of shadowy horrors. They found similar images in Amelie’s room (though not as sinister) as well as a series of self portraits . It was in Lord Carrington’s room that the trap was sprung. Jenis, Callynx and Escala had laid in wait for them. However, what none of them had calculated was that Amelie exhibited powers over shadow and was able to ambush the three imposters. Escala gave chase and Jenis and Callynx attacked the party. Though they were able to free themselves from the clutches of death they were ultimately overpowered by the party. Ultimately, it was too late .. the afflicted had broken through the tunnels below and were now flooding the keep. Amelie rescued the group and led them to “safety” deep below the crypts to a place forgotten in time.. Day 8: While fleeing from “The Children” the group meets an old afflicted by the name of Jerek. Jerek is a strange individual whose consciousness is inhabited by 5 people: Jerek himself, Bernard, Anna, Darden and someone by the name of Pharryk (whom they seem hesitant to speak about). Jerek hails from a time before the cataclysm and has somehow survived the advancing affliction with his mind “mostly” intact. He used to run a clinic during the time of the afflication, Bernard ran an adjacent orphanage filled with refugees from some conflict that was occurring at that time. Anna was the quartermaster and Darden was the feebleminded adopted son of Jerek who helped him in the clinic. The Children were apparently in Bernard’s care. He told the party that after the cataclysm an individual came to town clearly afflicted with some kind of strange disease. Jerek tried to care for him but noticed all the children becoming ill. One day the stranger attacked seeming crazed and then The Children suddenly vanished. The town in a panic sealed Jerek and his companions underground along with others that had come down with afflication. Jerek managed a way to keep his companions souls intact by fusing them to his own. Meanwhile Zheldara went back and met up with Momotaro. The town was under attack from a band of afflicted that had escaped the tunnels. Zheldara told Momotaro that they needed to obtain a key from Jenis to activate two machines in order to save the city. She found the key and proceeded to the Afflicted Town Hall and activated a strange device in the head of a construct she found there. Fighting their way back to keep where the second device resided they were ambushed by Letrec. Zheldara informed Latrec that they were on the same side and told Latrec where she could find Arthur Vendrix and Justicar Tireld. Zheldara then activated the second device triggering a huge explosion which devoured the Afflicted region and all the escaped afflicted within it. Day 9: The party along with Jerek started looking for a way out of the tunnels. Val’ was able to find an enchanted book of potions. They ran into “The Keeper”, who told them that the Drow that used to inhabit the tunnels there had slaughtered the Duergars who inhabited the ruined city before. He told the party that if they were able to determine their name that he would show them the way out of the tunnels into the world above. The party found an old Duergar smithing shop with a strange beast still inhabiting the shop. There they found the name Ivar and returned to The Keeper. However, the name was incorrect and The Keeper punished the party by sealing Adorena away somewhere. He told the party that they didn’t have much time if they were to rescue their companion. They activated a device which opened the way to Duergar ruins below. Meanwhile Zheldara went back to check on Arthur and Tirelde but to her surprise she found the bodies of Arthur and Inquisitor Latrec. Selena was nowhere to be found save some bloody footprints out of the Hillside Inn. At a loss for what to do next they waited and observed Day 10&11: Zheldara and Momotaro made their way to the city watch as Zheldara intuited that there may be a link to the Shadowsea from beneath the Watch (they had perhaps stumbled upon it before). Zheldara tried to force their way in much to the frustration of the gaurds who immediately arrested them. They were able to escape their cell and found the hidden tunnels beneath the keep. This led them to a secret laboratory beneath the keep which housed a shadowgate. There were signs of tortured prisoners there including the Callas sisters who had run the inn and had protected Adorena. There they were ambushed by Marcus Callynx now in shadow form. He gave Zheldara a choice to follow him or Sacresangre. His intention was to purge Frostmoor claiming that it was corrupted by the Phaerimm. He claimed destroying it was the only way to ensure the protection of the Shadowsea. Zheldara refused and destroyed the shadowgate but proved no match for Callynx in combat. She was overcome and taken prison, Momotaro disappeared into the shadows and escaped. While staking out the Watch for signs of them moving Zheldara he happened upon Selena which told him that he saw Latrec take on Tirelde’s form after killing him. She told him of a fortress in an old ruined temple to Illmater. They infiltrated the temple just as Tirelde and Janis (the warehousemaster) were leaving. Zheldara was tortured and her essence was taken (to what end?), she witnessed Tirelde and Janis discussing plans to head to Deadsnows to the North (also to what end?). Momotaro and Selena were able to free Zheldara but are trapped in the temple hiding from Callynx. Daiga made a deal with the guardian to free Adorena taking her place. Meanwhile the rest of the party (without Daiga) entered the Duergar ruins. They activated a backup power system which opened a flooded Duergar facility. In it they found a network of furnaces. The Facility was haunted by echoes of the dead. They saw how the Drow had raided the facility by somehow sabotaging the internal furnace system. Activating the furnace system lead them to a power Duergar construct that worked the central forges and plans on the construction of the Duergar hero, Ivar Ironhand’s Warhammer and Battlearmor. The group drained the flood waters and opened the inner sanctum (behind the seal of the guardian they had met before). In it they met a devil named Zaxxys who claimed he had been lord of the first planar hells. Zaxxys had been summoned by Ironhand but too late; Zaxxys a sign of goodwill returned Daiga to the party. How Ironhand was able to summon Zaxxys is a mystery given that the connection to the planes had been severed during the cataclysm. Zaxxys struck a deal with the party to free him in exchange with the name of the ruins below. The name was to be a bargaining chip in returning them to the surface. Forging the battle armor was a mistake, the armor was powerful but cursed. When the party freed Zaxxys he disappeared into the locket which Daiga was compelled to place around his own neck. As he disappeared Zaxxys showed the party own last echo which he himself had managed to save. The party saw two figures standing above a kneeling Ironhand, clearly defeated). One of the figures appeared to be Val’ and the other was an old frail orc in a tattered cloak. Val’ referred to the orc by the title of master. Val’ reported that they were unable to find a Sharszhard in the facility, to which the orc replied that they would need to proceed to deadsnows. He then executed Ironhand and flooded the facility. In Ironhand’s dying moments he summoned Zaxxys from below. Day 12 & 13 The party made their way out of the Duergar ruins in The Upper Dark towards the abandoned temple of illmater where the Agents of Shadow had established their base of operations. Unexpectedly, they encounter Zheldara, Momotaro and Selena. They hoped to ambush the Agents of Shadow but they found only the agent impersonating Marcus Callynx, and he was prepared to meet them. They were able to defeat the agent in combat but the situation within the party was tense. Zheldara and Selena informed them that Arthur Vendrix was dead and that The Pits had been destroyed to prevent Frostmoor from being overrun with evolved afflicted from beneath the city. The group destroyed the shadow portal that had been sustaining the agent but Zheldara was still weakened from whatever he had done to her. They were also informed that the two remaining agents had fled north through The Nether Mountains towards the Town of Deadsnows. The Warden and Jerek remained behind in Frostmoor as the group made their way north. The reached a great fissure in the mountains caused by the fracturing of the weave. Around the fissure were orbs of light, known as soul echoes. Finding the canyon impassible the group chose to go by way of an old abandoned mine. The mine was infested with strange volatile crystals which seamed to form around these echoes. Unwittingly Aeryn triggered a chain reaction within the crystals and the group narrowly evading being crushed beneath the tunnels as the crystals erupted around them. They emerged in the silent chill of the Southern Peaks and made their way to the Northern Peaks Observatory. The Observatory seemed abandoned for some time. In it they found that the researchers had developed a theory that The Cataclysm was triggered by a massive containment field around the world of Faerun . The field was a barrier between the outer and elemental planes. The barrier would be outside of the material plane, which would explain why the Fey and Shadowfell were unaffected. Unfortunately, it seems the lead researcher fell to some kind of madness and they Observatory fell into dissaray. From the Observatory they proceeded to the Northern Peaks by way of a cave system. An afflicted bronze dragon had taken refuge there and was amused at their trespass. He warned them that others had passed by a night or so ago. They party proceeded down the trail and met a gnome merchant who had crashed his airship into the pass. He offered to give the party passage if they were able to get him the supplies he needed to fix the ship. Closing in on the trail of the agents they came upon a Deadsnows signal post. The detachment of troops operating the post had been ambushed and slain before they could send warning. Further down the path they were ambushed by The Nethertusk Clan Two of the clan's guards had been assassinated and the clan was mobilizing for war. They were taken to the chieftan who informed the party that the treaty had been broken and they would assault the town if Lady Icespear refused his terms which were that his people be allowed to settle in the Town. They had also captured a deserter, a young man who told the party that the town had been assaulted by The Iron Hand. Their troops had established a camp near the main entrance to the town (which lay hidden beneath ground). They had known exactly where to strike. The disserter showed them a hidden way into the Town. To the party's horror, the town was littered with massacred soldiers and civilians; the town was occupied by a large force of troops with magic sniffing trained wargs. The Old Town area had escaped occupation by destroying all but the most hidden entrances. The Iron Hand was intending to smoke the remaining group out of hiding. They party met the leader of the small remaining force Dakkon Blackblade. Dakkon immediately recognized Lady Amelie and informed the party that while the inner wards still head the outer wards had been breached. He also informed Amelie that her aunt and all nobles in the town had been slain. He believed that Lady Icespear was still alive but in grave danger. Their paths one, and with Dakkon's forces injured and demoralized Dakkon would lead the party to the lady. The party made their way to the Lady's Estate through highly patrolled corridors. A single guard on patrol spotted the party but they were able to quickly capture and interrogate them. They learned that The Iron Hand had been informed by Lord Carrington and Justicar Tirelde of Frostmoor that taint of magic had corrupted Deadsnows .